'Let's Fall in Love' again

Production celebrates Arlen's music -- and his love for his wife

Production celebrates Arlen's music -- and his love for his wife

November 03, 2006|KAREN RIVERS Tribune Staff Writer

It is a message of hope that's endured through the decades. "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow," that immortal number from the 1930s, seems destined to live on and on, asking its rosy question: "Birds fly over the rainbow, Why, then, oh why, can't I?" Judy Garland famously sang it. Yip Harburg wrote the lyrics. The music was by Harold Arlen -- a beyond-prolific composer who wrote more than 400 songs. He has a treasure-trove of classics to his name, tunes that were brought to life by such singers as Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Nat "King" Cole. Among his hits: "Stormy Weather." "I've Got the World on a String." "It's Only a Paper Moon." "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea." "Let's Fall in Love." Tomorrow, his work will be celebrated at the Acorn Theater with "It Was Written in the Stars -- The Life and Times of Harold Arlen." Produced by Ralph Lampkin (of Lampkin Music Group), the show features South Bend singer Randy Kelly and a three-piece band. Personal photos of Arlen and his family will be on display, courtesy of the Arlen estate. The show is one of many concerts taking place all over the world as part of a centennial birthday celebration for Arlen (who passed away in 1986). "The concept (for this show) was to do a concert, but with stories," Kelly says. "(The production) is based around his marriage. He had a wonderful love affair with his wife that ended up being particularly tragic." Arlen's wife, Anya, was a model, whom he met in 1932. After dating a few years, he proposed to her with a note: "Dearest Anya -- We're getting married tomorrow -- 'bout time don't you think? All my love, H." The next day, she showed up ready to wed. The two were passionately devoted to each other throughout their lives. Anya, however, grew ill in later years. She suffered from a brain tumor and died in 1970. Kelly says part of the show's purpose is to turn the spotlight on Arlen -- who he describes as an "under the radar, humble, easygoing man." In the show, Arlen's music becomes "a kind of soundtrack" to his life, Kelly says. "It Was Written in the Stars" will feature about 25 numbers, including the classics and some more obscure songs. Kelly, 45, has been performing onstage since he was a child, and he studied theater at the University of Notre Dame. The production is arranged by Richard Clawson, director of liturgy and music at Christ the King Catholic Church in South Bend. He and Kelly have been working on the show for about a year, and also collaborated on an album "The Arlen Ballad Collection," produced by Lampkin and due out this winter. Clawson loved Arlen long before he started this project. "I actually discovered Harold Arlen in college when I was working at a public radio station," Clawson says. He's had a passion for Arlen's work ever since. "There is an incredible versatility (to his music). ... When you think of those songs and how many different versions of them there are -- you can see the same song being done upbeat and then as a ballad," he says. The challenge for Clawson and Kelly was to put enough of a spin on the tunes to make their show special while still remaining respectful to the original versions. These are, after all, familiar favorites to many. According to Kelly, Arlen was composing during a "fertile time for American popular music." He's not alone in that assessment. Brother Pedro Haering, longtime host of "Words and Music Remembered" on WSND-FM (88.9), wholeheartedly agrees. "To me, the zenith of popular music would be the early to mid-'30s until maybe the early '50s," Haering says. In terms of popular music of the 20th century, Haering says, many people would rank Arlen No. 1 among composers. Simply put, Haering says, "He's outstanding." What made him so special? He had a way with incorporating elements of blues and jazz, but it was more than that. "What's difficult to explain is the melding, so to speak, of the lyrics and the melody," Haering says. "He worked with the best lyricists. There are few that compare with Yip Harburg or Johnny Mercer. His music and their words seems to belong together." He echoed Kelly's earlier assessment, describing Arlen as "unusually modest" and saying that his relationship with Anya proved to be "one of the few long-lasting Hollywood marriages." Arlen, Haering says, never intended to be a composer -- he wanted to be a singer. One thing led to another, however, and he found himself playing the piano for the likes of Ruth Etting and Ethel Merman in New York. From there, he started arranging. Eventually, he would leave the world 400 songs richer. On whether Arlen's music will continue to endure, Haering has no doubt. "As long as music survives," he says, Arlen's songs will as well.